The tragic victim has been named in the Turkish media as Bircan Dokuzlar
Bircan Dokuzlar
The pilot killed in a plane crash in Co. Waterford last week has been identified as a 48-year-old man from Turkey. The media in Turkey have named the victim of the horror collision as Bircan Dokuzlar, and a GoFundMe page has been set up for his family.
Gardai are still working with Interpol to try and speak with his family, according to the Irish Mirror. Several news outlets in Turkey claim Mr Dokuzlar had been dismissed under a KHK decree and moved to Germany to rebuild his life. A KHK is a Turkish decree-law that can be invoked by the government, particularly during states of emergency. These decrees have been used to implement wide-ranging measures, such as dismissing public employees, closing organisations, and restricting civil liberties, as seen in the 2016 coup attempt.
The GoFundMe page describes Mr Dokuzlar as being known “for his diligence, honesty, and dedication.” It also described him as “an honourable man who tirelessly worked for his family despite all hardships”. It added: “This sudden and devastating loss has left his family not only in deep grief but also facing the heavy burden of funeral, burial, international transportation, and the many needs the family now faces without him.”
“This period is extremely challenging for the family, both financially and emotionally. All support collected will help lighten the Dokuzlar family’s burden during this difficult time and allow them to take a small breath of relief,” the GoFundMe page adds. To date, nearly €30,000 has been raised.
Mr Dokuzlar, the sole occupant of the private Vulcanair P68C plane, died after it crashed into a field close to Waterford Airport on Thursday. The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) of the Department of Transport deployed four air accident inspectors to the site, and the unit has begun its inquiries to establish the cause of the crash, which occurred after the flight took off from Sligo earlier in the day. The privately owned plane was scheduled to land in Beziers, France, when it turned around off the south coast of Ireland and headed back towards Waterford Airport.
On Friday, the wreckage was removed from the scene and taken to an AAIU wreckage facility in Gormanstown, Co. Meath. Emergency responders, including rescue helicopters and Gardai, rushed to the scene at Lisselan near Tramore, Co Waterford, after the light civil aircraft crashed at approximately 12.50 pm on Thursday. Air crash investigators described the plane as a “twin-engined general aviation aircraft”.